chapter 4

“Jump!”

Jessa screamed into the small earpiece so loudly that Mia almost ripped it out of her ear. Her entire body started to tremble in fear as she watched the black car inch closer to her. The rain poured harder, soaking her dress and blurring her vision, but all she could focus on was the sound of the engine and the headlights cutting through the night.

She had only a few seconds to make a decision that might ruin her life for good.

“If you lose this f*cking chance, I’m going to kill you myself!” Jessa screamed again. “I promise you a slow and painful death!”

Mia’s hands fisted at her sides, her chest tightening so much it felt like it was about to explode. Her legs felt weak, like they no longer belonged to her, but her brain felt like it was going a thousand mile per second. she wasn’t trying to think of a less insane way to stop the car in just a few seconds but couldn't see to come up with one.

“I can’t do this, please,” she whispered desperately. “I will find a way to pay you back, I swear. I’ll work, I’ll sell everything I own, I’ll...”

She couldn’t finish her sentence because a sudden shove from behind sent her flying forward.

Mia gasped as her body was launched harshly into the road, straight into incoming traffic. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the car speeding toward her. Everything slowed down. The rain, the noise, the world around her, it all faded into nothing.

This was it, this was the end. She was done.

Mia closed her eyes tightly and braced herself for the impact.

The screech of tyres ripped through the air and someone shouted.

The car swerved violently and came to a stop inches away from her body.

Mia hit the ground hard, pain shooting through her side as the breath was knocked out of her lungs. The cold rain soaked into her clothes, seeping into her skin as her eyes slowly fluttered open.

Someone had definitely shoved her.

She could see people gathering around, their faces filled with shock and curiosity. Whispers floated through the air, mixing with the sound of rain and distant traffic. Her heart was thumping so fast she was terrified it would burst right out of her chest.

Her mind struggled to process what had just happened.

“Mia!” Jessa yelled into the earpiece.

Mia tried to respond, but no sound came out. Her body was shaking too badly, her head spinning as pain pulsed through her side.

Then she saw the car door open.

Max Hult himself stepped out of the black car.

Up close, he was even more striking than she had imagined. Broad shoulders filled his suit, his posture calm but commanding. His jaw was set tight, his expression hard, and his eyes, sharp as steel scanned the scene quickly.

His driver stood beside him, pale and shaken, clearly still trying to process how close he had come to hitting someone.

“Are you insane?” Max’s voice was low, but anger simmered beneath it.

“I...I didn’t see...” Mia stammered, trying to explain herself, but her words faded as dizziness washed over her.

Max stared at her for a few seconds in silence. His eyes flicked to the people surrounding them, their whispers growing louder. This kind of attention was dangerous, and he knew it.

He sighed and knelt beside her.

“Don’t move,” he said firmly. “Gerald.”

He glanced at his driver, who immediately sprang into action.

Mia wanted to tell him she was fine, that she could stand, that she didn’t need help. But the world tilted, her vision blurring as darkness crept in.

The last thing she saw before everything went black was his face above hers, unreadable, calm and rain sliding down his cheek...

__________

Max Hult’s eyes lifted from his phone the moment the car came to a sudden screeching halt. The force of the stop shocked both him and his driver.

“What is going on?” Max demanded sharply.

His driver didn’t answer immediately.

Max looked up at the rearview mirror and saw the pure shock on Gerald’s face.

“She came out of nowhere,” Gerald stuttered. “I...I didn’t hit her. I stopped just in time, sir.”

Max cursed under his breath as he unfastened his seatbelt. He opened the car door and stepped out into the rain, his sharp gaze immediately catching the small crowd that had begun to gather.

This was bad.

He walked closer, his shoes splashing against the wet pavement. His eyes landed on a young woman lying on the ground. Her eyes were wide with shock, her body trembling as rain poured over her.

She looked fragile, broken and terrified.

Whispers surrounded them, cameras already starting to come out.

This much attention was the last thing he wanted.

“Are you insane?” he snapped, trying to keep his anger in check.

She tried to speak, but she looked too shaken to form proper words. Max knelt in front of her, his expression tightening as he assessed her condition.

“Don’t move,” he said firmly.

He glanced back at Gerald, who immediately rushed to open the back door of the car.

When Max turned back, her eyes fluttered and then closed.

She passed out.

Max exhaled sharply, frustration and concern mixing together. Without hesitation, he slid an arm under her knees and another behind her back, lifting her carefully.

She was lighter than he expected.

He carried her swiftly to the car and placed her gently in the back seat, adjusting her position so she was comfortable.

“Call Scott,” Max said to Gerald as he closed the door. “Tell him exactly what happened.”

Gerald nodded quickly, already pulling out his phone.

Within seconds, the car pulled away from the scene, leaving behind the whispers, the rain, and the unanswered questions.

Inside the moving car, Mia lay unconscious, rainwater still clinging to her skin.

Max sat across from her, his eyes fixed on her face.

And for the first time that night, something about this stranger felt wrong...